Introduction

The present check list is based on the incorporation of all available published records
on
the distribution of spiders in Bulgaria. A total of 991 spider species from
41 families were established, due to the review of 226 literature items. The
principal paper is "A critical check list of Bulgarian spiders
(Araneae)" (Deltshev &
Blagoev, 2001), where 910 species based on 173 publications, together with
all taxonomic changes published in the literature
are listed. Now, these data are complemented by
more then 50
papers and18species are still unpublished (marked in the list with
red color). This check list also contains a comprehensive list of all
publications on Bulgarian spiders (in the chapter References),
published between 1876
and 2008.

Historical review of arachnological studies in Bulgaria

The
arachnological studies in Bulgaria started at the end of the 19th century.
The first data on spiders can
be found in the works
of Pavessi (1876) and Hristovich (1892). However, the numerous contributions of
Drensky to the study of spiders and mites are considered as the beginning of
regular and continuous arachnological
research. His main contributions were written before the Second World War (Drensky, 1909,
1910, 1911a,
b, 1912, 1913, 1915a, b, 1921, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927a, b,
1929, 1930, 1931a, b, c, 1932,
1933, 1934a, b, c, 1936a, b, c, 1937, 1938a, b, 1939a, b, 1940a, b, 1942a,
b, 1943, 1952, 1953,
1955, 1966). His book “Catalogue on Spiders of the Balkan Peninsula” is the
only catalogue published so far (Drensky, 1936a). There he reported 624
spider species found
on the territory of Bulgaria. After the end of the War Drensky did not
continue his intensive arachnological research and his last study on spiders
in the South Dobrudzha was published in 1955.

In the 10 years which follows
the arachnological research almost ceased until 1967 when new data on
Bulgarian araneofauna appeared as a result of the regular research started
by Deltshev. Biospeleological research in Bulgaria was intensified as well.
Over 600 caves were studied and 76 spider species were established of which
1 genus and 9 species newly discovered (Deltshev,
1972d,
1973b, 1974, 1975a, 1977a, b, 1978a, 1980b). Data on the spatial
distribution of spiders in cave biotopes and on the coenological
relationships between species was presented as well (Deltshev, 1972a, b, c,
1973b, c, 1975a, b, 1982, 1983a, 1988c). The role of spiders in some pasture
ecosystems in Bulgaria and Poland was studied (Deltshev & Kayak, 1974). The
ecological research was continued by Blagoev. He studied the ecology of
lycosid spiders (Blagoev & Deltshev, 1989; Deltshev & Blagoev, 1994, 1995).

The research efforts of some scientists were directed towards revision of
old collections and their results were published as critical surveys of
different genera and families (Deltshev, 1973c, 1980b, 1983c, d, 1987a, c,
1988c, 1990, 1993; Deltshev & Blagoev; 1995; Knoflach, 1999). Some of these
data was published together with Dutch and Austrian arachnologists
(van Helsdingen et al., 1977; Thaler et al.; 1994; van Helsdingen et al., 2001).

In recent years the development of a database of Bulgarian spiders has
started. The database have been designed, organized and maintained by
Blagoev (Blagoev
& Georgiev, 2000a, b; Deltshev et al., 1998).
The data collected was used in the preparation of "A
critical check list of Bulgarian spiders (Araneae)" (Deltshev & Blagoev, 2001) as well as in the newly
presented Check List of Bulgarian Spiders.

Fifty onenewly discovered species in
Bulgaria, described mainly by Bulgarian arachnologists, are currently
regarded as valid. The first descriptions of spiders based on Bulgarian
material were published by Drensky (1915). He described a total of 43
species of which 15 still regarded as valid. The rest of the newly
described taxa are due to the research of: Deltshev - 23, Lazarov
- 3, Buchar - 2,
Dimitrov - 3, Dimitrov & Lazarov - 2, van Helsdingen - 1, Deltshev &
Dimitrov - 1 and Logunov - 1.